Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 19

CHAPTER 19

While Apollos was at Corinth. It is probable that he remained there a considerable time.

Paul having passed through the upper coasts. The upper, or more elevated regions of Asia Minor. The writer refers here particularly to the provinces of Phrygia and Galatia, Acts 18:23. These regions were called upper, because they were situated on the high table-land in the interior of Asia Minor; while Ephesus was in the low maritime regions, and called the low country.

Came to Ephesus. Agreeably to his promise, Acts 18:21.

And finding certain disciples. Certain persons who had been baptized into John's baptism, and who had embraced John's doctrine, that the Messiah was soon to appear, Acts 19:3–4. It is very clear that they had not yet heard that he had come, or that the Holy Ghost was given. They were evidently in the same situation as Apollos. See Barnes' notes on Acts 18:25.

Have you received the Holy Ghost? Have you received the extraordinary effusions and miraculous influences of the Holy Ghost? Paul would not doubt that, if they had "believed," they had received the ordinary converting influences of the Holy Spirit—for it was one of his favorite doctrines, that the Holy Spirit renews the heart.

But, besides this, the miraculous influences of the Spirit were conferred on most societies of believers. The power of speaking with tongues, or of working miracles, was imparted as an evidence of the presence of God, and of their acceptance with Him (Acts 10:45–46; 1 Corinthians 15). It was natural for Paul to ask whether this evidence of the Divine favor had been granted to them.

Since you believed. Since you embraced the doctrine of John, that the Messiah was soon to come.

We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. This seems to be a very remarkable and strange answer. Yet we are to remember:

1. That these were mere disciples of John's doctrine, and that his preaching related particularly to the Messiah, and not to the Holy Ghost.
2. It does not even appear that they had heard that the Messiah had come, or had heard of Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 19:4–5).
3. It is not remarkable, therefore, that they had no clear conceptions of the character and operations of the Holy Ghost. Yet,
4. They were just in that state of mind that they were willing to embrace the doctrine when it was proclaimed to them, thus showing that they were really under the influence of the Holy Spirit. God may often produce important changes in the hearts and lives of sinners, even where they have no clear and systematic views of religious doctrines. In all such cases, however, as in this, there will be readiness of heart to embrace the truth where it is made known.

Unto what. Into what faith, or doctrine. What did you profess to believe when you were baptized?

Unto John's baptism. See Barnes on Acts 18:25.

John verily baptized. John did indeed baptize.

With the baptism of repentance. This baptism had a special relation to repentance, or was a profession that they repented of their sins (see Barnes on Matthew 3:6).

Saying unto the people. The design of his coming was to turn the people from their sins and to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah. He therefore directed their attention principally to him that was to come (John 1:15, 22-27).

That is, on Christ Jesus. These are the words of Paul, explaining what John taught. He taught them to believe in the Messiah, and that the Messiah was Jesus of Nazareth. Paul's argument is that it was highly proper for them now to publicly profess that Saviour to whom John had borne such explicit testimony: "Jesus is the Messiah for whom John came to prepare the way; and as you have embraced John's doctrine, you ought now publicly to acknowledge that Redeemer by baptism in his name."

When they heard this. When they heard what Paul had said regarding the nature of John's baptism.

They were baptized. As there is no other instance in the New Testament of any persons having been rebaptized, it has been made a question by some critics whether it was done here. They have supposed that all this is Luke's narrative regarding what took place under the ministry of John; namely, that John told them to believe in Christ Jesus, and then baptized them in his name. But this is a most forced construction; and it is evident that these persons were rebaptized by Paul's direction. For:

1. This is the obvious interpretation of the passage—that which would strike all persons as correct, unless there were some previous theory to support.
2. It was not a matter of fact that John baptized in the name of Christ Jesus. His was the baptism of repentance; and there is not the slightest evidence that he ever used the name of Jesus in the form of baptism.
3. If this is the sense of the passage, that John baptized them in the name of Jesus, then this verse is a mere repetition of Acts 19:4—a tautology of which the sacred writers would not be guilty.
4. It is evident that the persons on whom Paul laid his hands (Acts 19:6) and those who were baptized were the same. But these were the persons who heard what was said (Acts 19:5). The narrative is continuous, all parts of it cohering together as relating to a transaction that occurred at the same time.

If the obvious interpretation of the passage is the true one, it follows that the baptism of John was not strictly Christian baptism. It was the baptism of repentance, a baptism designed to prepare the way for the introduction of the kingdom of the Messiah. However, it will not follow from this that Christian baptism is now ever to be repeated.

For this, there is no warrant, no example in the New Testament. There is no command to repeat it, as in the case of the Lord's Supper; and the nature and design of the ordinance evidently supposes that it is to be performed only once. The disciples of John were rebaptized, not because baptism is designed to be repeated, but because they had never, in fact, been baptized in the manner prescribed by the Lord Jesus.

In the name of the Lord Jesus. See Barnes on Acts 2:38.

Note the prepositions "Unto" or "into" in connection with the phrase name of the Lord Jesus; compare 1 Corinthians 1:13.